Jezebel 
Enter your username and password.
-
posts about #bodypolitic more → 
Drinking While Pregnant: How Much Is Too Much?
New York, 4:54 AM
Sat Dec 12
67 posts in the last 24 hours
Tip your editors:
Editor-in-Chief:
Anna Holmes
| Twitter
Deputy Editor:
Dodai Stewart
| Twitter
Senior Contributing Editor:
Tracie Egan
| Twitter
Contributing Editors:
Anna North
| Twitter
Sadie Stein
| Twitter
Reporter:
Irin Carmon
| Twitter
Editorial Assistant:
Margaret Hartmann
| Twitter
Contributors:
Rich Juzwiak
Email | Twitter
Latoya Peterson
Email
Jenna Sauers
Lizzie Skurnick
Interns:
Katy Kelleher
Twitter
Weekends/Commenter Moderator:
Hortense
| Twitter
| posts about #bodypolitic more → |
Drinking While Pregnant: How Much Is Too Much? |
Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/16/09
11/13/09
I needed to put some change in my wallet after paying for the beer, and handed the bottle in its bag to my pregnant friend. The cashier told us under no uncertain terms was my friend even ALLOWED to hold the bottle of beer, since she might get fired if her boss thought she was selling alcohol to a pregnant woman.
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
Unwanted advice, intrusive questions and endless nagging- often from complete strangers - about what I choose to eat and drink are par for the course.
Just because I'm a little awkward when I walk doesn't mean I'm an actual toddler! #pregnancy
11/13/09
11/13/09
On the same kind of topic, I once bought a DECAF coffee while pregnant and a woman in the line felt the need to berate me about how I was harming my unborn child. People can be ridiculous. #pregnancy
11/13/09
But you try being imprisoned to the whims of a parasite for nine months and see how you like it.
I'd also love to know why it's OK for me to take Robitussin for the swine flu I got, but not a drop of alcohol. Whatever, gang. #pregnancy
11/13/09
I had wine and beer while pregnant, as well as sushi and occasional cigarette. The kids are fine. #pregnancy
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
I always say that's what an immune system is for and since my four-year-old and I just survived swine flu I think at least for my family, the data are all on my side. #pregnancy
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
I feel so bad for their kids on so many levels. #pregnancy
11/12/09
As she wanted to keep the child, she was terrified that she had done some permanent harms. So, together we called some of the leading experts on fetal alcohol syndrome. Every one said that it was exceedingly unlikely that she had done any harm. If heavy drinking before you even knew you were pregnant caused fetal alcohol syndrome, then there would be a lot of kids with fetal alcohol syndrome.
The problem is, no one knows exactly how much alcohol will cause lasting effects. There is no way to find out, since an experiment that would show how much alcohol is harmful would be unethical and never get approval.
It isn't paternalism to say women shouldn't drink, it is the best answer experts can give with the data they have. Most countries have shifted to no alcohol during pregnancy, including France [www.icap.org] #pregnancy
11/13/09
I think it's disingenuous to blame "the patriarchy" and get upset with the government for "messing with your uterus". There's a genuine possibility of danger involved, however slight, so much as there are warning labels with cigarettes, there are warnings and guidelines about this issue.
In the end though, so much is up to fate- my mom quit smoking and drinking when she had me - long before it became a "thing"- but when it came down to it I still had problems because she couldn't dilate and I was short of oxygen during my birth. So, you do the best you can and people shouldn't judge you by the glass of wine you have in a restaurant. #pregnancy
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
I have no idea what I'll do about drinking when I'm pregnant. Nine months is a long time, but at least I'll be able to make that choice for myself. #pregnancy
11/12/09
Would those co-workers have the chupzah to take a cigarette out of a pregnant woman's hand? Or grab a cup of coffee out of her hand and dump it? I doubt it.
Man, I'm really very pissed about this!
What if the woman wasn't pregnant? Suppose she had just given birth, still had a large abdomen, and was trying to get through her work day after a sleepless night with a newborn?
What if she's buying coffee for a boss or a friend? #pregnancy
11/12/09
This really had no purpose. I'm sorry, I was just venting. Anyone else go through anything like my situation? #pregnancy
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
Think about it on an evolutionary level -- it wouldn't make sense for us to be able to do serious damage to a fetus before there are even ANY outward signs of pregnancy.
So don't feel guilty, okay? Oh, and as far as only having been "trying" (yes, I think that phrase is funny, too!), it only took us six weeks, so who knows -- that month may have been enough to get the job done! #pregnancy
11/12/09
11/12/09
This pregnancy I'm having the odd glass of beer now and again and not feeling guilty. #pregnancy
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
And you totally make a valid point about our body's keeping the fetus safe at least until it's shown us that we're pregnant. You're so smart. :) Thanks for the advice! #pregnancy
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09
You'll be fine, pregnant or not. It happens all the time. Good luck! #pregnancy
11/12/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/13/09
11/15/09
11/15/09
11/12/09
As a side note, I adore my mother-in-law. #pregnancy
11/12/09
however, about 1 month before i gave birth, mr. rex and i went out to a rather fancy greek restaurant and he ordered a bottle of wine and insisted that i try a glass (which my doctor had said was fine). i have NEVER felt more uncomfortable in my life. every single person in the restaurant looked at me like i was a criminal. i think i got about 2 sips in before i simply couldn't take it and insisted that we leave. and at the time, i felt horribly embarrassed and ashamed of myself. now, in hindsight, it makes me furious that those strangers, who had no idea about my life/pregnancy/responsibility felt that they could so freely judge me and actually create such a hostile atmosphere that i left the restaurant rather than endure their scorn.
i'm not sure if i had a point per se, but i just wanted to share my story. thanks for listening! #pregnancy
11/12/09
But my mom says that beer is good for breast milk, so go fig. #pregnancy
11/12/09
11/12/09
11/12/09